County Board of Supervisors Candidate: Richard Holober

Richard Holober, a Millbrae resident, is the executive director of the Consumer Federation of California, a nonprofit consumer rights group. He has also been president of the San Mateo County Community College District for four terms. He told Patch, “I live my life on the side of working people, on the side of rebuilding the middle class.” For more on the candidate, visit www.holober.com.

1) What would you prioritize if you got voted in?

I have a number of long-term goals and a vision to help this county continue to be a great place to live and a place that encourages good jobs – jobs that have a future. I want to preserve our environmental heritage, housing and transportation. But there’s a short-term, urgent funding crisis. The county is grappling with a very large budget deficit. The economy is in a protracted recession that doesn’t seem to be ending any time soon. Budget shortfalls are approaching $100 million a year. How do we control costs, reduce spending and preserve vital programs that benefit hundreds of thousands of residents? I’ve come up with an outline of a plan, a qualitative approach we need to take.

2) Who are your primary supporters?

I have a very broad base of support that includes 65 local elected officials in San Mateo County. That list includes a lot of educators, small-business owners, and the bulk of organized labor in terms of teachers unions. There are nurses and firefighters, and a whole lot of people in the community; the Filipino American Democratic Caucus, leaders in the Latino community, African American community, Asian American leaders, Senator Barbara Boxer and Dave Jones. I think it’s a great, broad base.

3) What issue do you feel most strongly about and what’s your position?

The budget is by far the dilemma we will deal with first. It has to be dealt with intelligently. I believe the next most important issue is creating good jobs. San Mateo County has a good quality of life because of its proximity to higher learning and the biotech and high tech industries. I would work to continue to create those types of jobs. I will also be very tough on those who want to build things that are out of proportion or not good for the environmental heritage of the county.

4) What’s one thing most constituents don’t know about you?

I have been a statewide leader in consumer rights issues. I have been quite effective at getting better protections of people’s pay and financial privacy. I helped stop insurance companies who wanted to raise rates on motorists with perfect driving records.

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The upcoming election is a mail-in ballot only, with May 3 the deadline to postmark. (The last day to acquire a vote-by-mail ballot is April 26.) For more information, visit SmartVoter.org.